ITK from the scout on Diarra

[Dan Ashcroft]

I don't want either Diarra or Defoe myself.

I think Diarra is too short and lightweight to be able to play with Modric and the rest of our midfield. We need a big nasty fucker like Cana, Inler or Timoshchuk. We also need a strong leader, which both Cana and Timoshchuk certainly are and Diarra is certainly not.

Re Defoe - I don't think he'll ever be consistently prolific - with him it's always brilliant yet equally frustrating - scoring blinders but missing tap ins and constantly being given offside. They are different type strikers but I personally don't think there's much between Defoe and Bent in terms of calibre. I'd prefer someone more like Mario Gomez or Huntelaar to partner Pav, though we'll probably have to settle for someone like Crespo on loan till the summer.

Re the left - I'd still like either Arshavin or somone in his mould - a left sided playmaker/second striker (Podolski and Kranjcar are the other two names that spring to mind), rather than an out-and-out winger.

 

[Kendall]

We've had enough shit trying to sign Arshavin, let alone Tymoschuk

 

[fortworthspur]

from what Ive seen of Diarra, which is limited, he's fantastic. he single-handedly blew up the center of our midfield when we played Pompey last month. that would be a great signing.

 

[Chimbo!]

this is so predictable...

 

[Azrael]

Good to see the ITK are up and running again after a well deserved weekend off! :grin:

:lol:

 

[steve]

Re Defoe - I don't think he'll ever be consistently prolific - with him it's always brilliant yet equally frustrating - scoring blinders but missing tap ins and constantly being given offside. They are different type strikers but I personally don't think there's much between Defoe and Bent in terms of calibre. I'd prefer someone more like Mario Gomez or Huntelaar to partner Pav, though we'll probably have to settle for someone like Crespo on loan till the summer.

Re the left - I'd still like either Arshavin or somone in his mould - a left sided playmaker/second striker (Podolski and Kranjcar are the other two names that spring to mind), rather than an out-and-out winger.

Can't say I agree. Start Defoe every week throughout a season and he'll get 20 goals. I agree Defoe and Bent are similar but obviously Bent's heading is stronger, and Defoe's technique is better. But I'd expect (if fit) between them this season to equal the 46 goals of Berbs and Keane last year. They have 12 already (Bent 5, Defoe 7).

How about Capel? I'd like to see a dynamic winger who can beat a man and deliver consistently down the left for our (expanding) strikeforce.

 

[Shanks]

Diarra is not too short to be a defensive midfielder. Edgar Davids, Makele and Guttuso, to name a few are very short defensive midfielders.

 

[Chris12345]

Yeah, Gattuso is slightly taller at 5 10', but Davids and Makelele are both 5 7', and Diarra is 5 7 1/2'

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

Can't say I agree. Start Defoe every week throughout a season and he'll get 20 goals. I agree Defoe and Bent are similar but obviously Bent's heading is stronger, and Defoe's technique is better. But I'd expect (if fit) between them this season to equal the 46 goals of Berbs and Keane last year. They have 12 already (Bent 5, Defoe 7).

How about Capel? I'd like to see a dynamic winger who can beat a man and deliver consistently down the left for our (expanding) strikeforce.

Defoe has never scored more than 13 goals in a season before though. These were his stats with us:

2007-08 19 4
2006-07 34 10
2005-06 36 9
2004-05 35 13
2003-04 15 7


Re. Capel - if we got a winger like that then we'd still need a number 10 as well and we'd also probably need to play two DM to get away with it - which is looking a bit like a Modric-less side.

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

Diarra is not too short to be a defensive midfielder. Edgar Davids, Makele and Guttuso, to name a few are very short defensive midfielders.

Not at all, but he's too short to be the defensive midfielder in our midfield IMO.

 

[mil1lion]

Is Diarra actually a DM? He is a tough tackler and disciplined enough to play there but I had his 'natural' position as more a box to box player (when he got the red card against us he was pretty far down the pitch, he also scored a few for Pompy last year). Not that that's a problem if he is good enough.

He actually plays that role for France in place of Makalele from time to time. I think he'd be a great signing for us.

 

[Captain Spur]

Diarra would be a top signing, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing the little man Defoe back either (should never have been sold)!

Diarra and Defoe would be the obvious choices from the Portsmouth team (what manager doesn't get linked to players they managed before). This reeks of more ITK rubbish though, they are seldom right as they basically make it all up.

Some might have some sort of flimsy link with someone in the club and hear the occasional whisper but none of them hears all the inner workings that they make out they do.

 

[bubble07]

defoe, diarra and kranjer will do very nicely

 

[mil1lion]

How about Capel? I'd like to see a dynamic winger who can beat a man and deliver consistently down the left for our (expanding) strikeforce.

Di Maria for me. Capel would have been great if we still had Ramos, but i think we can forget that one now. We could end up with Johnson from Boro though, which is more likely with Harry here now. I'd be happy with that though. He's really impressed me in the last year. Bale and Johnson on the left, and Hutton and Bentley on the right :hump:

Re. Capel - if we got a winger like that then we'd still need a number 10 as well and we'd also probably need to play two DM to get away with it - which is looking a bit like a Modric-less side.

I'd love us to continue our persuit of Arshavin. But i also think Modric can play that number 10 role or possibly even the left winger/support striker role you mention. If that were the case then i think we could sign Diarra and sign another central midfielder with height and power. Thats another option we have. But we do need one more goalscorer. I would have loved us to get Negredo in, but i think that would have been more up Ramos' street. I think Defoe would link up well with Pavylcuhenko. As for his goalscoring record, it was similar to Keanes at a similar age.

 

[Shanks]

5'10 is short....

;-)

 

[don1]

love to see defoe back great to hear his name being sung yesterday and if we could get diarra also it would be great

 

[Wellspurs]

At least 'onest Harry will know all their buy out clauses etc and their real financial plight.

We need someone who can tackle and someone who can score, gotta be the 2 D's.

 

[Defsta]

:lol:

 

[$hoguN]

Take Defoe, Diarra and Distin in a heart beat... i would how ever be kind enough to give them Ghaly

 

[worcestersauce]

Diarra would be a top signing, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing the little man Defoe back either (should never have been sold)!

Should have signed the contract then shouldn't he?